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Jamie George has cautioned that the team must avoid being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to achieve their first Twickenham triumph over the visitors in 13 years this Saturday.

Team Updates Ahead of Pivotal Fixture

England's head coach got a welcome boost with Elliot Daly recovering from injury and in contention for selection since sustaining an arm fracture on British & Irish Lions duty, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man group announced on Sunday night.

Current Form Differs with Previous Woes

England host New Zealand after stretching their winning streak to nine games with a commanding 38-18 win over Fiji, romping clear in the closing stages. This strong run marks a dramatic shift from a year ago, when the team endured six defeats in seven outings, all by narrow margins. A trio of these losses came against the Kiwis—during the overseas tour and a tight reverse at Twickenham after George Ford missed two late kicks.

New Zealand narrowly edged out Scotland on the weekend to maintain aspirations of a home nations grand slam intact, and while South Africa secured their number one spot, George described the All Blacks as “arguably the top team in the world.”

Of the last 11 encounters, England's only victory over the All Blacks came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and the visitors remain unbeaten in the last five fixtures at Twickenham.

George's Insight on Playing the All Blacks

“Many sides tend to is sit back in awe of the All Blacks with their legacy and all their world-class talent,” stated former captain George. “It’s tempting to do that. I have done it before. We must remember we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. We’re very proud to be playing here. We are going to do all we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your peak. New Zealand are arguably the best side in the world right now. They’re an exceptionally skilled team and they appear to raise a gear when they come to Allianz Stadium. Our focus for us to do is work out where we might have improved in the opening period this week. But also, have a clear strategy which can apply as much stress as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll create a chance.

“We faced a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the winning end of close contests and not figuring out how to win. Now, we’re doing the exact opposite. Not at all have we solved everything. But we’ve put a strong focus on the latter stages of games and finishing strongly. Notching however many tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a quality team.”

The Coach's View and Squad Adjustments

The England coach is likely to make a several changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, the flanker, and the fly-half all expected to be reinstated to the starting lineup. Tommy Freeman and the newcomer each took knocks against the Islanders but both have been included in the group preparing to take on New Zealand.

“We aim to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said Borthwick. “We’re a young side, we’re evolving, I think we’re improving quickly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure next week’s will be a great assessment for us.”

The Star's Take on Growth

Ben Earl, in addition, thinks that the team's current ability to break away in the closing stages of games owes much to their three narrow defeats by the All Blacks the previous year. “It leaves you battle-hardened, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve developed the experience to learn from those setbacks, and they hurt at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded man of the match against the Fijians. “But I question to a man in the changing room, would we have changed our journey now, with the success that we’re sometimes enjoying? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely priceless lessons.”